“Commissioner Veltri shall remain in office”
“Reversed and Remanded”

Posted: Friday, Oct 18th, 2013BY: Bobby Jennings

Taylor County Commissioner
Tony Veltri

CHARLESTON – The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals has issued its ruling concerning commissioner Anthony J. “Tony” Veltri’s appeal of the decision made by the Honorable Larry V. Starcher in a case brought before the courts by Diane Parker in her capacity as Chair of the Democratic Executive Committee of Taylor County and John Michael Withers.

The Supreme Court of Appeals heard the arguments on Wednesday, September 25, and issued their response of “Reversed and Remanded” on Thursday, October 17, 2013.

Veltri approached the Supreme Court of Appeal in regard to a March 16, 2012 order in which the Honorable Judge Larry V. Starcher issued a ruling to remove him as commissioner and replace him with John Michael Withers. “Mr. Withers was the Democratic candidate for the commission from the Tygart District. The incumbent, Commissioner Veltri, the Republican candidate from the Tygart District, had been serving as County Commissioner since 1992. Commissioner Veltri won the 2010 election, and was sworn into office on December 28, 2010.”

The Justices released their decision stating, “After a careful review of the parties’ briefs, the appendix record, the pertinent legal authority, and listening to the parties’ oral arguments, we (being the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals) reverse the circuit court’s order and remand this case for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.”

They concluded, “For the aforementioned reasons, the issuance of the writ of mandamus by the lower court is reversed. Commissioner Veltri shall remain in office for the remainder of his elected term.”